Man, making your own pickups is labor intensive! I only got this far after breaking open a "wall wart" dc adapter, breaking out the transformer, getting the skinny wire out, snipping an altoid box, winding a thousand wraps of wire... Phew! Just have to wrap some electrical tape around it and solder to an input jack....

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  • ok Jonno,we're talking 2 different things at once,the 1st is a trannie,alone as a pick up,where you use the INPUT coil of a step down transformer by itself,without anything added,of course if you want to hide everything inside a box,you can stack magnet[s] on top to get closer to the strings,2nd is the transducer type pup,where the plate/tube etc is the PRIMARY coil,connected to a secondary coil by either, going through a hole in the middle of a 500-700 wind purchased coil like this.......http://www.cigarboxnation.com/forum/topics/lace-alumitone-how-is-it..., or through a walwart type coil like this..http://www.cigarboxnation.com/forum/topics/lace-alumitone-how-is-it..., unfortunately that thread jumps around a bit,and replies are out of sequence sometimes,but you really need to read it,especially around pages 7-10,and 20-25,but really all of it as there was afew people inputting at various times as the site was having stability issues,i know i couldn't add anything for 5 or 6 days at one point

    • Onya Ron. I been reading the alumitone thread. Lot of pages. Anyway I think I realise my mistake now which Daryll mentions. I just viewed the vid by Turtlhead and I think I get what he does. You take some a thick copper wire. Wrap it around some mags. Remove the bottom coil from a step down trannie (bottom= which coil?) and pass the thick wire thru the space, back out creating large copper loop.Ok. seems clear enough.

      So Daryll, does your method that doesnt need magnets, require a non typical transformer setup ie Step Up power adapter ?

      So after looking at turtlehead vid I still dont get which trannie coil he removes.The mains side or output to appliance side.

      2. Assuming I must track down a Step up transformer for your method Daryll. Do you attach the pickup plate to the transformer as in your number plate post. And if so what do you attach it with? This is doin my head in he he he
      • step up,step down doesn't matter,you are only using one of the coils,the largest is my recomendation,you just ignore the other coil,the main reason turtlhead removed it in his pup,was to get the wire through,as it was too tight,if you can squeeze the wire through and around the coil you are using ,all good,and can just ignore the other coil,but those as 104 transformers are cheap,and they can be at your door tomorrow in Aus.,but seeing as it's nearly 2 pm where you are,more likely Monday,the step down trannie as a pup by itself,is just the wires on the larger coil's side wired direct to jack or pot,that is all,the other coil is ignored

      • Damn what is it with post edits not working.I just changed above post to reflect greater understanding but it vanished. Try again.
        Daryll I like your no magnet, Step down transformer method.I still just need how you attach pickup metal plate to transformer core. Maybe another pic of how you have it setup with a few explanatory comments. Apologies if I'm doing your head in.

        Hi Way. That schematic is the turtlhead method is it? With step Up transformer?
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